A trial was carried out in Italy to assess the effect of rearing techniques on broiler welfare conditions with regard to the EU proposal “Laying down minimum rules for the protection of chickens kept for meat production” (COM 221, 2005). In five farms of the most representative poultry companies, productive traits, stocking densities, litter characteristics, broiler carcass injuries and foot pad lesions prevalence were controlled both during winter and summer in 279,640 birds. According to their live weight at slaughter the birds were divided into 3 commercial categories: light-size (1.6-1.7 kg), medium-size (2.4-2.5 kg), and heavy-size (3.2-3.8 kg). The stocking density ranged between 24 to 30 kg live weight/m2 in winter as well as in summer in accordance with the indication of the EU proposal. Mortality ranged from 2.5 to 9%. The highest mortality value was always recorded in the same farm in both seasons even if the stocking density was lower than in other farms. It should be stated that environmental conditions and particularly management other than stocking density have to be taken into account to assure good rearing conditions. Carcass injuries (skin and hock burn lesions, haematomas and bone fractures) and foot pad dermatitis were evaluated on samples of 200 birds/category/farm/season for a total of 4,800 birds. Foot pad dermatitis were classified into three groups, 0 (no lesions), 1 (minor lesions) and 2 (severe lesions) and foot pad score was calculated according to the formula reported in the EU proposal. The foot pad score of broilers reared in winter was always higher than 50 points, the threshold that has not to be exceeded to guarantee a good chicken welfare condition with stocking density ranging between 30 and 38 kg live weight/m2 (EU proposal, 2005). On the contrary, during summer the scores were always lower, ranging between 2.75 and 28.25. The prevalence of foot pad dermatitis was closely related to litter moisture: when the moisture content exceeded 37%, the foot pad score was higher than 50 points. Since at the present in Italy, stocking densities are in line with the EU proposal and, in spite of this, foot pad prevalence in winter is far higher than the advised EU score, a critical revision of the EU proposal should be encouraged in view of these outcomes.
Prevalence of foot pad lesions and carcass injuries as indicators of broiler welfare conditions in Italy / E. Folegatti; Sirri F.; Meluzzi A.; Toscani T.. - ELETTRONICO. - (2006), pp. 1-5. (Intervento presentato al convegno XII European Poultry Conference tenutosi a Verona, Italy nel 10-14 settembre 2006).
Prevalence of foot pad lesions and carcass injuries as indicators of broiler welfare conditions in Italy.
FOLEGATTI, ELISA;SIRRI, FEDERICO;MELUZZI, ADELE;
2006
Abstract
A trial was carried out in Italy to assess the effect of rearing techniques on broiler welfare conditions with regard to the EU proposal “Laying down minimum rules for the protection of chickens kept for meat production” (COM 221, 2005). In five farms of the most representative poultry companies, productive traits, stocking densities, litter characteristics, broiler carcass injuries and foot pad lesions prevalence were controlled both during winter and summer in 279,640 birds. According to their live weight at slaughter the birds were divided into 3 commercial categories: light-size (1.6-1.7 kg), medium-size (2.4-2.5 kg), and heavy-size (3.2-3.8 kg). The stocking density ranged between 24 to 30 kg live weight/m2 in winter as well as in summer in accordance with the indication of the EU proposal. Mortality ranged from 2.5 to 9%. The highest mortality value was always recorded in the same farm in both seasons even if the stocking density was lower than in other farms. It should be stated that environmental conditions and particularly management other than stocking density have to be taken into account to assure good rearing conditions. Carcass injuries (skin and hock burn lesions, haematomas and bone fractures) and foot pad dermatitis were evaluated on samples of 200 birds/category/farm/season for a total of 4,800 birds. Foot pad dermatitis were classified into three groups, 0 (no lesions), 1 (minor lesions) and 2 (severe lesions) and foot pad score was calculated according to the formula reported in the EU proposal. The foot pad score of broilers reared in winter was always higher than 50 points, the threshold that has not to be exceeded to guarantee a good chicken welfare condition with stocking density ranging between 30 and 38 kg live weight/m2 (EU proposal, 2005). On the contrary, during summer the scores were always lower, ranging between 2.75 and 28.25. The prevalence of foot pad dermatitis was closely related to litter moisture: when the moisture content exceeded 37%, the foot pad score was higher than 50 points. Since at the present in Italy, stocking densities are in line with the EU proposal and, in spite of this, foot pad prevalence in winter is far higher than the advised EU score, a critical revision of the EU proposal should be encouraged in view of these outcomes.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
